Illegal drug world in LA exposed after ketamine arrests linked to Matthew Perry's death

Five arrests following the overdose death of Matthew Perry this week show that the drug trade in Hollywood is alive, thriving and deadlier than ever.

Two of those charged in connection with the death of the “Friends” star are doctors, while another person, Jasveen Sangha, is described in her indictment as a “ketamine queen” who dealt exclusively to “high-end” people and “celebrities.”

Sangha used her North Hollywood, California, home to “store, package and distribute narcotics, including ketamine and methamphetamine,” according to the U.S. Department of Justice indictment. The indictment also accuses her of supplying the drugs that killed Perry.

Legal sources believe Sangha – who was arrested on Thursday and also faces charges related to a 2019 drug-related death – could hold the key to exposing Hollywood's dealers and buyers, especially if she enters into a deal and betrays her clients and suppliers.

The 41-year-old pleaded not guilty to the numerous charges against her in a downtown Los Angeles court and was sentenced to prison.

Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Page Six: “There is overwhelming evidence against her. She is in great distress right now … she could potentially get a life sentence.”

“She has two problems,” he added. “First, she is now linked to two drug-related deaths and second, she was (allegedly) dealing methamphetamine.”

This means, says Rahmani, that while Sangha is at serious risk of going to prison, she has “numerous reasons to cooperate to get her sentence reduced.”

“She could name anyone associated with her, anyone who supplied her or who she supplied,” he added. “Hollywood stars should be shaking in their boots… anyone who has anything to do with Jasveen Sangha should be really worried right now.”

Brooke Mueller, Charlie Sheen's ex-wife, is also assisting the authorities in their investigation. She spent years in rehab and, according to TMZ, met both Sangha and Perry there. Mueller is not suspected of any wrongdoing and has not been accused of any crimes.

Perry, who died of a ketamine overdose in his hot tub last October at age 54, had caregivers who helped him maintain alcohol compliance, including his former friend and rehab coach Morgan Moses.

However, he reportedly used “contacts” to deliver illegal drugs to homes.

“He met girls on dating apps and invited them over. On Raya he met lots of 21- to 25-year-olds. They brought drugs with them,” a source told the Daily Mail in January.

“He would hang out with them and then they'd say, 'Can you bring me something?' He could convince people that they weren't doing anything wrong by doing so.”

Perry also had his medications picked up and administered by his closest assistant, Kenny Iwamasa, who was also charged this week.

A Justice Department press release announcing his guilty plea this week revealed that Iwamasa injected himself three times on the day of Perry's death, including the fatal dose that left him slumped lifeless in his hot tub.

A Hollywood insider described how influential people and celebrities also hire prostitutes to obtain drugs.

One of those celebrities was Grammy-nominated rapper Mac Miller, who died of an overdose in his Studio City home in September 2018 at the age of 26.

Heidi Fleiss, the infamous Hollywood ex-whoremonger, told us: “Mac Miller was apparently in the studio and wanted opiates, so he called someone, but the person didn't show up. “Then he was told a girl could come with the drugs, but she'd cost $1,500 an hour. He didn't even want the hooker, but she came with the drugs. So he took the hooker too.”

She said of Ariana Grande's ex: “It's like ordering a steak and getting potatoes on the side. You eat the side, but you really wanted the steak… It's a bit like what I did, but for me the girls came before the drugs.”

Bob Forrest, an LA-based addiction specialist who appeared alongside Drew Pinsky on “Celebrity Rehab,” told Page Six that there were top-secret drug rings used by stars like Tom Petty. Petty died in January 2013 at age 66 from an accidental overdose after mixing various drugs.

His family blamed his overdose on fentanyl, an extremely powerful synthetic opioid that is 30 to 50 times more potent than heroin.

“These days, it's just text messages,” Forrest said. “In Tom Petty's case, the drugs were just delivered to his mailbox. He didn't even have to see anyone. He texted, sent money through Venmo, and the drugs were delivered to his mailbox.”

He said celebrities often meet other addicts in clubs and at parties.

“You do drugs, you do drugs, and they say, 'Hey, let me introduce you to the guy I got it from.' Then there's just a never-ending trail of connections,” Forrest added.

A close friend of Perry's who worked with him for many years added: “It's about the Doctor Feelgoods thing, giving celebrities everything they want, like Anna Nicole Smith.”

Dr. Khristine Eroshevich was convicted in 2010 of two counts of conspiracy to obtain prescriptions under a false name for the former Playboy model who died of an accidental overdose in 2007 at age 39. The conviction was overturned by the trial judge but reinstated as a misdemeanor in 2015 after prosecutors appealed.

The trial judge overturned the convictions but reinstated them after the prosecution appealed.

A former drug dealer to the stars told us: “There are so many doctors in Los Angeles who would do anything for celebrities, including lying. And I think Matthew Perry was an expert at identifying these doctors.”

“You just pay cash, then go to the pharmacy and get methadone, Valium, Xanax, whatever you want. That's only for wealthy people.”

Perry received ketamine transfusions legally from doctors in the Los Angeles area, but as his liking for the drug grew, he began obtaining doses illegally.

Prosecutors describe the deals as follows: Iwamasa contacted an acquaintance of Perry's, Eric Fleming, who then contacted Sangha, who federal authorities say had been dealing from her home for about five years.

On Oct. 11, Sangha sent Fleming a text message using the encrypted messaging app Signal with information about her ketamine stash and offered Perry a sample to try. She said it was “unbelievable,” according to the indictment.

Fleming then allegedly sent a screenshot of Sangha's message to Iwamasa.

“I just heard that from me. She only deals with high-end and celebrity items,” he wrote. “If it wasn't such great stuff, she would lose her business.”

Iwamasa purchased 25 vials of ketamine from Fleming and Sangha on Oct. 14, prosecutors alleged. A little more than a week later, on Oct. 23, Iwamasa paid $6,000 for more ketamine.

Sangha said her ketamine source, whom she described as a “master chef” and “scientist,” would provide another shipment of additional ketamine on Oct. 24, the indictment states.

“Users knew that they could access [Sangha] for ketamine,” Paul Samson, a recovering addict and co-founder of DNA4Addiction, which tests for genetic predispositions to opioid addiction, told Page Six.

“Based on what I saw on the news, I can tell you that the amount of liquid ketamine she had would be difficult [for a dealer] to get. Addicts love it. It's pharmaceutical and has to come from a doctor. It's appreciated by users.”

According to prosecutors, Iwamasa injected Perry with at least six ketamine injections a day in the week before his death until his death on October 28.

After reading the news of Perry's death, Sangha texted Fleming, “Delete all our messages,” the indictment states.

In addition to Sangha, Fleming and Iwasama, Dr. Salvador Plascencia, a licensed physician, and Dr. Mark Chavez were also indicted on charges of supplying Perry with ketamine independent of Sangha's plot.

According to NBC, Chavez pleaded guilty, Plascencia pleaded not guilty and is currently free on $100,000 bail.

US Attorney Martin Estrada claimed they all took advantage of the actor's addiction and tried to “cover up” their roles after his death.

Perry's close friend told Page Six: “I think Matthew really wanted to stay sober.

“People close to Matthew know that ketamine was responsible for his death and we are very relieved that those responsible are now being held accountable.

“It won't bring him back, but at least there's a way to counteract it.”